Tanfield Vachell was
the only surviving son of John Vachell of Warfield
- third son of Walter Vachell of Sulhamstead
Bannister - and his wife, Mary, daughter of Clement Vincent of
Peckleton in Leicestershire. He was named after the family of Anne, daughter
of Robert Tanfield of Gayton in Northamptonshire - who had married his
grandfather’s brother, Francis - and was baptised there on 27th December
1602. This couple had an only (surviving) son, Thomas, also baptised at
Gayton on 10th July 1605. Thomas and Tanfield went to Oxford together:
Tanfield taking his BA from Exeter College in 1622 and Thomas from Brasenose
in 1625.

In 1633, the eldest of
the grandfather Walter's three sons, Sir Thomas Vachell of Coley
Park - in whom all the Vachell estates had been concentrated - began
to despair of having anyone of his name and blood to inherit his manors. He
had married three times and yet begot no issue, and his nephews and cousins
showed little sign of marrying, let alone producing an heir. Sir Thomas
approached his young cousin and namesake, to prevail upon him to marry, but
he refused. He thereupon applied himself to his nephew, Tanfield, who agreed
to comply, and married Anne, daughter of Mary Cox, widow of Richard Cox, an
alderman of London. In return, Sir Thomas settled a large part of his
estates upon his nephew.

After the uncle’s
death in 1638, Tanfield became influenced by the second marriage of his
widow, Lady Letitia Vachell, to the famous John Hampden, and espoused the
cause of Parliament during the Civil War. Lady Vachell continued to live at
Coley, whilst Tanfield rented her grandfather's
old Readinghome atAbbey
House. There is an entry, of 1st November 1642, in England's
memorable accidents, thus: "Oneale the Sergeant to Count Robert, sent a
letter to Mr. Vachell the High Sheriff of Berkshire, commanding him in the
King's name to raise the power of that county to conduct the King through
it, but he stayed the messenger and refused to obey it, doubting lest by
that will the Train Bands might be disarmed as in other counties they have
bin. Reading in Berkshire is well fortified but they want Ordinance which
long before this time they might have obtained had not the love of their
money hindered it, which neglect they may chance woefully to lament should
they happen to be plundered." There is a short further note: "It
is reported that the Malignants in Reading have plundered the well affected
amongst them and that the great ones in the town fetched the King with his
army in thither with much pomp and ringing of bells."

Tanfield Vachell
became Member of Parliament for Reading in 1645. His disputed election is
dealt with at great length in Man's History of that town. Beyond sitting on
various committees for the Parliament, he does not seem to have taken any
active part in the affairs of those times, but to have devoted himself to
the collection of rare pictures, books and curios. In this he was probably
assisted by Sir Peter Lely, by whom he was painted. Unfortunately,
Tanfield’s wife died childless in 1651 and was buried in the chancel of
St. Mary Woolnoth in London. In the following year, he married Rebecca,
daughter of Sir William Leman, bt, Parliament’s Treasurer of War. She
survived him, but he had no issue by either wife, and the Coley estate
passed, upon his death in 1658, to Thomas, the sixteen-year-old son of his
old companion at Oxford.

By his will, Tanfield
gave the use of all his "several paintings and books of print, [his]
collection of medals in gold, silver and brass; all [his] ware, turnings of
ivory and guyacombe with [his] presse of bookes and [his] chest of drawers
with the perspective in it, to his wife for life, and failing issue to the
son of his kinsman, Thomas. That by God's blessing they may remain as an
heirloom to such person and persons as should inherit his manors and lands
in the said county of Berkshire whom he desired might prove lovers of
learning, Ingenuity of Arts." A codicil executed in his last sickness,
led to about fifteen years' litigation between his widow and his heir, and
eventually, after calling in the Lord Chief Justice and the Lord Chief Baron
and various civilians, the case was decided in favour of his heir. It is
still a leading case — Vachell v.Leman.

Tanfield Vachell was
buried in St. Mary's Church
in Reading on 1st June 1658. The funeral conducted by the heralds does not
appear to be reported, but from its cost, £403, in the money of those days,
it must have been one of some importance.